Literacy rates vs average years of schooling in South Africa
South Africa: Literacy rates vs average years of schooling was 90 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates vs average years of schooling in South Africa, 1950–2021
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2021, literacy rates vs average years of schooling in South Africa stood at 90.
That represents a change of down 5.3% on the previous year and down 3.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates vs average years of schooling in South Africa peaked at 95.02 in 2019 and was at its lowest, 42.5, in 1950.
South Africa ranks 74th of 128 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Literacy rates vs average years of schooling in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 42.5 | — |
| 1980 | 76.2 | +79.3% |
| 1996 | 82.4 | +8.1% |
| 2007 | 88.72 | +7.7% |
| 2009 | 92.89 | +4.7% |
| 2010 | 92.88 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 93.1 | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 93.73 | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 94.14 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 94.37 | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 91.74 | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 95.02 | +3.6% |
| 2021 | 90 | -5.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 90 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 95.8, 94% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 90 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 70.74, 1.3× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Literacy rates vs average years of schooling in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +79.3% | 42.5 | 76.2 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 42.5 | 42.5 | 42.5 | 1 |
| 1980s | 76.2 | 76.2 | 76.2 | 1 |
| 1990s | 82.4 | 82.4 | 82.4 | 1 |
| 2000s | 90.81 | 88.72 | 92.89 | 2 |
| 2010s | 93.57 | 91.74 | 95.02 | 7 |
| 2020s | 90 | 90 | 90 | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 94.05 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 93.94 (2023)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 181,739 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 339,638 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,708 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 407,696 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates vs average years of schooling in South Africa?
- Literacy rates vs average years of schooling in South Africa was 90 in 2021, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rates vs average years of schooling recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 95.02 in 2019.
- What is the lowest literacy rates vs average years of schooling recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.5 in 1950.
- How does South Africa rank for literacy rates vs average years of schooling?
- South Africa ranks 74th out of 128 countries with data for 2021.
- Is literacy rates vs average years of schooling rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Literacy rates vs average years of schooling. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).